yes, the song is bad, no you can’t be transphobic.

So, for today’s blog I really wanted to talk about something that has been bugging me lately. And yes, I am aware that I am a little late to this whole thing, but I really have ben itching to talk about it so. 

 

I do want to give a quick disclaimer though, a lot of the topics that I am about to touch on I cannot completely understand, ideas of being MTF, or even what it means to be a woman is something that I cannot really give too much of an insight on because, yk. But anyway, I digress.

So, about a month ago a popular influencer named Dylan Mulvaney came out with a song called “Days of Girlhood” this song was to commemorate her two-year anniversary of when she came out as trans and when she began to document her journey through her transition digitally. The song has had a relatively negative view by most, when it comes to my personal experience with it, when it comes to the music itself, it isn’t exactly my style, and while a lot of people agree, this isn’t the issue. Instead of critiquing the song itself, hundreds of people online have used this song as an excuse to spread misinformed and transphobic hate speech. 

The largest percentage of people who are making these videos and supplying hateful comments such as these are what most people have deemed as “TERFS”

If some of you aren’t familiar with this term I will explain, terf is an acronym for “trans exclusive radical feminist” this to be put simply is someone who agrees with most feminist ideologies but does not acknowledge trans women to be actual women. The main argument that they provide is that Dylan gives the song a marginalized “dumb girl” side that most women fight hard against, however this is not really the case, from my experience listening I don’t think that in any way does she say that this is what girlhood is, instead all she is doing is providing her individual experience. (She also gives some really valuable insight on the trans experience in her song so for that alone I recommend that you check it out.)

Dylan contributed a song deemed just another “white girl song” WHICH IS COMPLETELY FINE. For the most part, I don’t even really like the song but to use it as an excuse to try to say that all it does is prove that “Dylan isn’t a real girl” or “what she is doing is harming other women” is unacceptable. The way you orientate yourself with the music you choose to create is never an issue unless it causes pain to others, there have been so many songs that have been similar to what Dylan has made, songs such as “I’m just a girl” by Gwen Stefani or “Girls just want to have fun” by Cyndi Lauper have proven to be staples in millions’ playlists and music tastes, they were created and no one had a problem with them, but the moment a trans woman makes one it is as if suddenly they become harmful. Even though I have a lot more to say about the situation I will leave it at this final statement: Just because a song doesn’t sound good doesn’t mean that gives you an excuse to be transphobic.

 

Here are a couple of people who put in some really good opinions if you want to check them out. Also, if you want to stream the song here is the link, Days of Girlhood – Single by Dylan Mulvaney | Spotify